tennisman

I have read many things about celiac disease and depression being connected . Can anyone recommend the best ways to try and deal with depression ?

I have seen a counselor , I did 12 sessions and it seemed to help a little but after my sessions stopped I became worse again. My doctor told me I was depressed and very anxious but didn't give me any advice on how to deal with either. I have had celiac disease for over 8 years and I never had a problem with it, untill the last year or so and nowdays I really hate being Celiac which is making me feel more down

What treatments can I try to help improve my depression ? At the moment I feel like I want to drink alcohol all the time as that helps

Thanks

David

Once at a friends house they were non Celiac . He said he used to smell toast with butter sometimes in the morning . He was 100 % sure it his house was haunted. It freaked me out going there .

I hate them. I have recently come across disrespectfull people though facebook and google I just read on facebook how some chef cooked Gluten Free on a BBC tv program in the uk and said he is Celiac but every 3 months he has a 2 week break where he eats as much GLUTEN as possible it's messed up . Why do people do stupid things like this ? The public must think it's not a serious disease hearing things like this.

Have you ever seen a rheumatologist? Had him look at the ankylosing spondylitis issue? He could request the copies from the other doc and run more tests, although you are entitled to a copy of your records You just fill out a form requesting copies and they are required to give them to you - I believe in all states, certainly those I have lived in.. This is an arthritic condition as I am sure you know and a rheumatology consult would be appropriate.

I think it was actually a rheumatologist who did most of the AS testing , I was seeing the back specialst and rheumatologist at the same time. I than saw the same rheumatologist in 2008 who did the Lupus tests. I just found it strange I tested positive for AS but the doctor/rheumatologist didn't think I had it , I didn't know that was possible. Maybe because it's an autoimmune disease it's a similar blood test to the celiac blood test and celiac was showing up or something lol. I was always suspicious on my doctor not wanting to give me copies of results etc . I once saw an osteopath who knew my doctor very well and he was shocked at how my doctor would not give me my results and kept changing his mind about what I had. The osteopath I saw thought I had AS and he treated me the same as he would for someone with AS and it helped quite a bit after a while.

Hello,

I was diagnosed celiac in August, as well as gastroparesis. I have eliminated all gluten, or I thought so. On occasion when eating out I would accidentally get glutened. I had another endoscopy and biopsy in January and he said I had great improvement, but there was still inflammation. Just last week after reading in this forum, I discovered my under eye concealer has gluten in it. Of course I'll never know how much that affected me. But also keep in mind that an autoimmune disease can trigger another one. Put some thought into any oddities you may have going on with your health and see if you can connect them to another autoimmunity, such as autoimmune thyroidism, connective tissue disease, etc. For me, I have recently been diagnosed with both of those in addition to the celiac. And some people never develop another one, but at least you'll know to look for symptoms.

Wish you the best!

Hi Thanks for the reply.

Thanks for the advice , i'm 99.9 % I don't eat any gluten but I will have to triple check everything and see if i'm missing something. Sorry to hear you were diagnosed with autoimmune thyroidism and connective tissue disease. When I was 1st getting tests for my back problems Ankylosing spondylitis Autoimmune disease was mentioned , it was all very strange what happened. I had the blood test and tested positive for Ankylosing spondylitis , I than had to have an x-ray to confirm , they found something on the x-ray to suggest I had Ankylosing spondylitis and than the next week the doctor said the x-ray results were read by someone inexperienced and they had got it wrong. My osteopath wanted to see the x-ray results but my doctor made some strange excuses and wouldn't let me have a copy of the x-ray. Than my doctor said it's possible to test positive for Ankylosing spondylitis in the blood test and not actually have it. Than my doctor kept on about how I didn't have Ankylosing spondylitis YET ! It was all very strange , I think I may get a doctor I trust to do the blood test and x-ray again , I have also seen Ankylosing spondylitis can cause stomach pain and a few other symptoms I get. I was also tested for Lupus again I tested positive in the blood test but didn't have many of the other symptoms that go with Lupus.

Sometimes it can be another intolerance that causes continued problems. Have you tried eliminating soy and dairy to see if they might be an issue? If not that might be a good place to start. It took me years to figure out that soy was an issue for me and that was what was causing me to have continued stomach and joint pain. May not be the case for you but thought it worth mentioning. Do you keep a food and symptom log? That can sometimes be helpful in figuring out if another intolerance is an issue. Since intolerances can be delayed reactions the diary can help with establishing a pattern.

Thanks for the reply I did think I had another intolerance , I have seen a dietian a few times since last september and have done 2 or 3 food and symptom diary . He can't find anything that could be causing me problems and doesn't think I have an intolerance. We did discuss diary and I have to cut diary out for a week. I had tonsiltis a few weeks ago and didn't really eat my regular diet I had no milk or yoghurt and my stomach did improve a little so diary could be the problem. I hadn't thought of soy I will have to check which foods I eat that have soy in. That's great that removing soy helped your stomach and joint pain.

Vitamins are called that because they ae VITAL....run from any doc that tries to tell you otherwise!

Thanks for the advice

Well, we know that celiac causes many nutrient deficiencies that we need to correct for optimum health. Did you have your levels checked at diagnosis or is it possible that you were deficient in vitamin D all those years? If so that could put you at great risk for osteoporosis. Do not listen to any doctor that tells you nutrition has nothing to do with health problems. It has everything to do with so many of them, including celiac. If you have not had a full nutrient assessment it is something you need to do right away. The basics are vitamins A, B6 (folate) B12. D (already done although you should get it rechecked to see if it is still up to snuff),E and K; also ferritin/iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc. These are typical deficiencies in celiacs. And while you have been gluten free all these years you still may not have been able to get enough nutrients from your foods to bring them back up to average levels, especially if your gut is not totally healed.. I have been gluten free for 3-1/3 years and if I don't take magnesium every day I get cramps in my calves at night. Seems like I can't get enough.

As far as your villi, if your doctor said they are regenerating, they are growing back (the opposite of degenerating ) Since they are not totally healed I would go back and recheck my diet for signs of any gluten having crept in somewhere, because they really should be healed by now. Did he do a celiac blood test to see if you were still overproducing antibodies? That would be another good countercheck for stray gluten.

Thanks for the reply I have no idea if my Vitamin D was tested but most probably it wasn't. I was only 14 or maybe 15 when diagnosed and can't really remember lol all I remember was the doctor telling me I was celiac and I straight away chucked the sweets I had been eating in the waiting room in the bin because they weren't gluten-free lol. I want to ask my doctor when exactly I was diagnosed and maybe they might have checked Vitamin's than but I only remember having a blood test and an endoscopy. It's really frustrating about the Vitamin D because I had my Vitamins tested in April 09 and they were apparently all alright but in May 09 my gp doctor tested my Vitamin D and it was very low surely it can't drop from good to very low in 1 month. Also in 2006 while going to an osteopath my back wasn't responding to treatment and the osteopath thought I may have been lacking in something , so most probably the Vitamin D deficiency has been going on for a long time.

Thanks for the list of Vitamin's and nutrient's I will go to my gp and get them tested properly , as my stomach doctor will just say there fine without even looking at the results properly. My Vitamin D was 31 and after 3 months on Vitamin D tablets my level went up to 66 and than 12 months later it was 69 haven't had it checked since . I think it's strange it went up a lot in 3 months and than almost stopped improving I took Vitamin D tablets the whole time too. I have been to see my dietian today he advised I eat a more varied diet so most probably I could be lacking in a few nutrient's. Sorry to hear about the cramps if you don't get enough magnesium.

I find it ridiculous the doctor said there was signs of regeneration , as I too expected it to be fully healed. My old stomach doctor wanted to do another endoscopy a year or so after being diagnosed with celiac disease to check the villi had healed , I wish I had , had the 2nd endoscopy now lol . But as my stomach seemed better after a year I didn't want another endoscopy lol. I don't think I am eating gluten by accident anywhere, and my mum is also celiac so all meals are definitely 100 % gluten-free I have had the celiac blood test to check for gluten many times and my results have been fine every time. My doctor said he puts that test on most celiac patients blood test form secretly just to make sure no one is cheating 1 doctor actually told me I had stomach pain because I didn't stick to my diet fully I told him to look at the blood test results and he ended up looking stupid

I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2003 and have stuck to the gluten free diet 110 % since day 1 . I remember my stomach problems improved a lot , I just had the odd stomach pain every now and again. Than in 2005 I got back problems which I still have now and I started getting new stomach pains in 2008 and they still haven't got better. I have also had some other problems with my ankle and wrists etc.

I feel like my health became a lot worse after a few years of becoming a Celiac and one of my doctor's said i'm likely to always have some health problems because i'm Celiac , But other doctors tell me my other health problems are nothing to do with being Celiac I don't know who is right :S

I'm also wondering if my villi has healed properly as I had an endoscopy last year and the doctor said my stomach had shown signs of regeneration , does that mean the villi has healed or is starting to heal I don't really understand

In 2009 1 doctor said I had a vitamin D deficiency which could be part of the reason I have back problems yet other doctors have basically told me i'm stupid for believing a vitamin deficiency can cause health problems.

So now I can't tell if my problems are connected with being a Celiac , or maybe i'm lacking in some vitamins or if my health problems are nothing to do with being a Celiac. I'm also getting frustrated with being Celiac for 7 years I didn't mind at all and now suddenly it's become difficult and I don't really understand what's going on

Has anyone else had more health problems after being a Celiac for a few years ?

Yeh it's annoying. Another annoying thing about restaurant's 1 time while I was at a party at a restaurant I was talking to 1 of the chefs and was saying I was a celiac etc and he started going on about how celiac's were the bane of his life. I'm very unintelligent and didn't know what bane of my life meant at the time. Otherwise I would have been really angry lol.

Mind you I am just giving you my experience. Please get further clarification from your doctor. The barium can harden and potentially cause a blockage, hence why it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids and stay well hydrated. If you are prone to constipation ask your doctor about the need for a laxative. I have had the barium myself when I first started having symptoms a good two years before my diagnosis. I just had the UGI series not the small bowel follow through. I was a person who tended to be constipated and I had no problems passing the barium. It was thick and chalky and felt heavy in my stomach. I experierenced no problems after. I also last August had a CT enterography scan of my abdomen and pelvis. The barium for that (Volumun) was a very different consistency. It was very, ahem, snotty like. The concentration of barium is less. It was also gluten free as I checked beforehand. Alot of people report the opposite effect from the CT scan barium and that is goes through them like a bullet. Barium itself is an inert substance so reactions (allergic) are extremely rare but the manufacturers do add flavorings and additaves so that could be a source of gluten. You need to find out ahead of time so they can accomadate your needs. Here are some links for you to read.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Thanks for the info the links are very useful

I've been an x-ray/ct technologist for 16 years, and sure you can ask a few questions. If I don't know the answers I will certainly try to find out. There is barium for CT and barium for regular x-rays. The difference is the concentrations.

Thanks. Would the Barium meal show inflammation in the small intestine if there was any ? Also I have read online Barium can set like concrete in the stomach is that true. Last thing was I heard Barium can make stomach problems worse and cause other problems to the body is that right ? Thanks again

Interesting article. I can see how that would work for a CT scan as I have given patients water for example for a CT scan of the pancreas. It helps distend the stomach. Unfortunately this method seems to work for only CT exams and will not help you for regular barium x-rays.

Cool , shame it doesn't work for Barium . Are you a doctor ? Also is it ok if I ask you a few questions about Barium ?

Unless they are mixing the barium with milk then I would say no. Barium is either reconstituted with water or comes premixed. Milk will not show up on an x-ray.

Open Original Shared Link This is where I read about the Milk instead of Barium. It sounds interesting.

I am assuming you are talking about a small bowel series or also called a small bowel follow through test? If you are I'm not sure why they gave you the moviprep. Usually that kind of prep is used for colonoscopy or a barium enema x-ray but hey, every place has there own preps. A small bowel series is a test to evaulate the small bowel. You will probably be instructed not to eat or drink anything and asked not to chew gum or smoke after midnight. You could always go dressed in a t-shirt and slacks that have no metal on them at all to make things easier, otherwise they will have you change into a gown. You need to be aware that the test can take several hours. The technologist will take you into an x-ray room and take a history and a x-ray of your abdomen. Then you will be asked to drink about 2 cups of barium (the thick kind, sorry) to fill up your stomach and to be able to see your small bowel on the x-ray. They tech will take x-rays of your abdomen (you will lie on your back for the abdomen x-ray) at timed intervalls (timed from when you start drinking the barium) usually around every 20-30 minutes. In between the x-ray you will be able to get up and walk around (this helps to aid in the movement of the barium). With each x-ray they take they show it to the radiologist and they can tell how far the barium has traveled. When the barium reaches the end of the small intestine and enters the colon you will be asked to go into the x-ray room and the radiologist will take images of different areas with a fluoroscope. You may have to move around in different positions for this part since the bowel loops overlap. They may press on your abdomen with a paddle with a balloon on the end to aid in seeing the junction between the small bowel and colon better. Barium may cause constipation so after your procedure it is recommended that you drink plenty of fluids and eat plenty of fiber to aid in the passage of the barium meal. You may notice a lighter color or whitish color to your bowel movements for a few days.

Contact the x-ray department where you are scheduled for your exam and tell them you are gluten free. Ask them to contact the manufacturer of the barium they use to see if it is gluten free. If not they need to get you some that is. The clear stuff that raven was talking about sounds like the water based ct contrast and usually is not routinely used for smallbowel tests. The only times it is used is if there is a contraindication to barium such as post surgery, suspected perforation, small bowel obstruction or checking on gastric tubes. I'm sure there are other reasons, but that is what comes off the top of my head at the moment.

I'm not sure really , my appointment letter just says Barium meal and ft. My doctor said the test would look at my small intestines. He said I need to clean my bowels out for the test , on my letter it says I need to take moviprep at 4pm and am only allowed to drink water for the rest of the day. Thanks for the advice on clothing. Thanks for explaining how the test works My doctor said the test will take 3 hours now I understand how it takes so long. I will drink lots of water after , a few years ago I had a scan where radiation was injected into me and I ended up drinking 11 pints of water that day to try and get the radiation out lol.

I will contact the x-ray department , I'm am also going to try and see my gp doctor and say i'm nervous about the test and see if she thinks the test will be helpful or not. I have read so many stories how Barium tests ended up making the patients stomach problems worse and it's put me off plus I don't like the sound of the moviprep and Barium drinks lol. Thanks again for the info and advice

After posting my original message I read on a few different websites that the test can be done with milk instead of Barium does anyone know if that is right ?

I just had that test a week ago, no it is not pleasant to drink, but better then the prep for a colonoscopy! I did have some stomach discomfort after, just drink lots of water. On the bright side, no needles and no pain! Wishing you luck with the test!

Thanks for the info and advice 1 website I read said they gave you a muscle injection to relax the stomach , so i'm glad to hear there were no needles . I don't mind needles but i'm glad they are not needed for the test

Is this the stuff they call "banana smoothie"? hahahahahahahahahaha -- ahem, sorry. Banana smoothie it was not! But -- if it's the same stuff it really wasn't too bad. I had to drink two bottles of it --smaller bottles, like the size of a single-serving juice or something like that. This was for a CT scan. If that's the same thing, then it's not awful.

If it isn't the same one, then just ignore me.

I'm not sure what a CT scan is lol , my letter just says x-rays and it takes a few hours , it sounds like similar test especially the awful drink part.

This is one of the worst tests I've had. Barium was so awful to drink. My doc was looking for a hernia when he did the test. I might have thought it was awful because I have a really small stomach and they made me drink a ton of the stuff - I had it done pre-celiac diagnosis in 1998. I felt so bloated after. It's really chalky and thick. Kinda like a really think milkshake.

Sorry to hear you had a bad test. The drink sounds really bad.

I had this test done in October. My doc was looking for anything else that could be wrong other than Celiac. I was still bloating etc. The stuff you drink is bad tasting, however, I was informed it was gluten free. I didn't get sick from drinking it, although it did go straight through me. They took xrays (I was on my back )before drinking and then a hour afterwards. Besides drinking the stuff, this was one of the better test I've been through. Best wishes!

Did your doc find anything ? That's good the drink is gluten-free . I'm glad it was a good test for you. Thanks for the info

Your doctor will have to order a gluten free barium. It will be clear and do double check with the Xray tech before you drink it. The clear stuff is not too tough to drink but if the barium is not gluten free and you are a diagnosed celiac it will make you ill. Been there, done that. The prep to clean you out you should check on when you pick up the script for it. The pharmacist should be able to check for you. I usually call the company myself after I get the script home to double check. Most of the contact numbers can be found if you enter the company name and the words contact info in a search engine.

Thanks for the advice I received the prep in the post today it's called moviprep . I will have to try contacting the people who make moviprep. Thanks

Your doctor didn't tell you why they are doing a barium test? There are lots of different things they could be looking for like blockages, a hernia, and certain diseases that would show up on the x-ray. My husband had one to check for diverticulitis. The stuff you have to swallow IS nasty. My husband kissed me later after his test and I was sick and had the taste of the stuff in my mouth for days just from that kiss. If I were you I would call the doctor and find out what they are looking for and how urgent it is that you have this test. There are some very serious illnesses that they detect with the barium swallow, so you should find out what your doctor suspects before you just dismiss having the test. If you are having a lot of stomach pain it's probably better to have the tests than to wait until it's more serious.

Not really he just said we will look at your stomach with an x-ray this was at the start of the appointment. Near the end he said I have similar symptoms to Crohn's and Colitis maybe that is what the test is for. I have been having stomach pain for almost 3 years now doctors say it's not caused by celiac disease. Last year they did an endoscopy just to have a look around nothing was found except inflammation which is apparently normal ? So i'm thinking this could be a waste of time like the endoscopy. As I still think my problem is food intolerences. The drink sounds horrible. Thanks for the advice

I was dx'd in September and am just getting over an awful cold. I have not had a cold in years. I wonder if the celiac has anything to do with it?

Thanks,

Sara

After being diagnosed with celiac disease I noticed I got more colds / viruses and they lasted a lot longer. In 2009 my Vitamin D levels were very low and I started taking Vitamin D tablets which have helped stopping colds as I haven't had a cold for a year. You should look into Vitamin D tablets if you don't already take them.

Hi , have many people had the BariumMeal FT small intestine test ? I have to do the test next month , but don't really understand what it involves. The letter I received only says about drinking Barium and having an x-ray.

Yet when I looked online it says thee drink is horrible and it ended up making there stomach pain a lot worse. I even read somewhere the Barium sets like concrete in your stomach. I really don't want to do the test if it's going to make my stomach worse.

In the last 2 months I have already had an endoscopy and ultrasound and don't really understand why the doctor is making me do the Barium test. What exactly do they look for in the Barium test ?

Also is Barium and moviprep gluten free ?

I also read you have to move about and lay on your stomach etc. I have back problems and am kinda worried if my back will be ok , and I can't lay on my stomach or it makes the pain a lot worse .

Thanks

Me and my Mum both have celiac disease in our family